novelraw Chapter 5 : Gold Coin (1)
Chapter 5 : Gold Coin (1)
Chapter 5: Gold Coin (1)
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Room 401 of a studio apartment connected to the back door of the Heavenly Demon Pawnshop.
Having broken free from a thousand-year seal, Cheon Bigang lay down to sleep in a modest two-room unit.
The moment he closed his eyes, he fell into a deep sleep.
And he dreamed.
It was a dream of a day from his childhood, sharing steamed buns with his master.
“Bigang, if this master were to be captured by an evil enemy, what would you do?”
At the sudden question, the young Cheon Bigang raised his hand while holding a bun.
“I would, of course, go save you, Master!”
“Your spirit is admirable, but unfortunately, that is incorrect.”
Huh?
If his respected master were captured, wasn’t it a disciple’s duty to rescue him?
The young Cheon Bigang frowned.
“Why? I should save you!”
“You foolish child. If it’s an opponent even I cannot defeat, how would you win? In that case, you must abandon me. Understand? Master and disciple are like father and son. A father and son must not die in the same place. A man truly stakes his life for……”
“Friendship!”
“Hahaha!”
A phrase he had heard so often his ears had grown calloused.
His master gently stroked his head.
“Correct. A man risks his life for friendship. Master and disciple do not die together. Because we are……”
“Successors!”
“Hahaha!”
Even before he had fully learned his letters, his master had emphasized this countless times.
“Bigang, a man dies for friendship, but master and disciple live on through succession. Always remember this.”
“I remember everything. But, Master?”
“Yes?”
“If I were captured by an evil enemy, what would you do? Would you come save this cute disciple?”
“If you were captured? Then of course……”
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BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
The piercing alarm clock rang.
Cheon Bigang opened his eyes.
An unfamiliar ceiling.
After wrestling with the noisy alarm, he stepped outside.
Through the glass window overlooking the Heavenly Demon Pawnshop, he looked at the sky.
Dark clouds spread like wool.
The first floor was an open lobby.
Gyojin was waiting.
“Great Grandmaster! Good morning!”
“That thing you left beside me was quite loud.”
“That’s what it’s for. Hungry?”
“Where is the cook?”
“Cook… I mean, chef? Sorry, we can’t afford one. This way. No tea, but we have milk.”
Cheon Bigang sat at a white table.
Gyojin brought food.
Toast.
Grape jam.
Fried egg.
Cereal in milk.
“Breakfast is served.”
“…….”
Crunch. Crunch.
Cheon Bigang’s eyebrow twitched.
“This is a meal?”
“Yes.”
“You expect to work after eating this? Even beggars would cry.”
“Great Grandmaster… the Beggars’ Union doesn’t exist anymore.”
“What?”
“It merged with the Hao Sect 30 years ago. That’s why it’s now the Hao Clan.”
“So the beggars starved?”
“No. Begging is frowned upon now. They all have jobs.”
“So they relied on the Hao Sect.”
Then—
“You said your father was one of the Kowloon Seven Swords?”
“Yes.”
“Yet you show no trace of martial arts.”
“Well, that’s……”
Bang!
The back door burst open.
Without hesitation—
Flick!
Cheon Bigang threw a plastic spoon.
Crack!
The intruder collapsed.
“Ack!”
“…Huh?”
Gyojin froze.
Cheon Bigang scoffed.
“You wet yourself yesterday and still came back? Impressive courage.”
“W-Wait!”
The intruder knelt, hands raised.
Scatter Blood Demon, Sa Gyeom.
Gyojin touched his bandaged forehead.
“How…?”
Cheon Bigang stood.
“You won’t pass out so easily this time.”
“Wait! Look at this!”
Sa Gyeom pulled out a gold coin.
“Gold Contract Coin! I brought one!”
Cheon Bigang scoffed.
“You think that buys your life?”
He grabbed Sa Gyeom’s collar.
The man dangled like a rag doll.
“Wait! It’s real! Check it!”
“Wait, Great Grandmaster!”
“What?”
“Let me verify.”
Cheon Bigang released him.
Sa Gyeom handed over the coin.
Gold Contract Coin.
A gold-painted iron token.
The value lay in its data.
They moved to the pawnshop.
Gyojin placed it on a dock.
(Verifying…)
[Gold Contract Coin: No.03701]
[Issuer: Jinyang Workshop]
[Owner: Sa Gyeom]
[Authenticity: Genuine]
[Usage: Unused]
“It’s real.”
Gyojin sighed.
“This is a promissory token issued by the Kowloon Credit Union. It grants one request.”
“Yes! See?”
Cheon Bigang spoke.
“He tried to kill you.”
“I know.”
“And you’ll accept it?”
“I’ll hear him out. Then follow your decision.”
“Credit…”
Cheon Bigang understood.
Gyojin closed the curtains.
Cheon Bigang smiled at Sa Gyeom.
“Speak.”
Sa Gyeom explained.
After arrest—
Black Tiger Sect bribed the police.
He was released.
But something felt wrong.
The vehicle—
wrong direction.
He fled.
“They chased me all night! They were going to kill me!”
“Don’t act like a victim.”
“…!”
Sa Gyeom shut up.
Gyojin spoke.
“You planned to use this coin if you failed, didn’t you?”
“….”
Silence.
“You have no shame. No conscience.”
“….”
“Helping you would make me a fool.”
Pause.
“But.”
Gyojin clenched his fist.
“This coin represents our trust. I haven’t forgiven you. You haven’t regretted it. But the promise is greater than both of us. We will accept you as a customer.”
“…!”
“State your request.”
He called his enemy—
a customer.
Cheon Bigang watched.
‘He suppresses desire for the greater cause… impressive.’
Gyojin had potential.
Sa Gyeom nodded frantically.
“Save me! Black Tiger Sect will kill me! And you too! We must join forces!”
“Understood. But the final decision—”
“No.”
Cheon Bigang waved it off.
“I entrust this to you.”
“…Understood.”
Gyojin nodded.
“By the covenant, we accept your coin. We will protect you from the Black Tiger Sect. Anything else?”
“No… that’s enough.”
Relief.
Then—
Pop!
A hole appeared in the glass.
“…Huh?”
Drip. Drip.
Blood fell.
A bullet grazed his ear.
Gyojin shoved him down.
“Get down!”
“Ugh!”